Saturday Night Live Back At Mercer Raceway Park

May 9, 2017 by Lou Long

(Mercer, PA May 9, 2017): After two weeks off due to adverse weather conditions, the management and staff of Mercer Raceway Park are ready to spin off an exciting Saturday Night Live! racing program on Saturday, May 13. The action will begin at 6:30 p.m. and it will feature the fantastic five divisions regularly seen at the Park. “Our racers and fans are ready, and we hope to deliver on the promise of stiff competition on a finely manicured track,” said Mercer owner Bill Altman.

Jack Sodeman, Jr. will attempt to expand on his points lead in the Precise Racing Products 410 Sprint Cars. The North Jackson, OH pilot was the winner the last time out, but upstart Jimmy Seger will see if he can knock off the kingpin. Seger, you may recall, is a graduate of the Bonnell’s Rod Shop 305 Sprint division, and he wants to make his mark in the top class. It will only be a matter of time before he breaks through with that first big win. There will be plenty of rivals, including another recent 305 Sprint graduate, Michael Bauer, and A.J. Flick, the winner of the first race of the season.

The Turn 4 Toilets 358 Modifieds will have Jimmy Holden gunning for a fourth consecutive victory. But, it hasn’t been easy for the defending champion from Tiona, PA. Lonny Riggs has been fast each time oit, but the breaks have not gone his way, yet that is. J.R. McGinley, Kyle Fink, and many others will be in the thick of the action, too.

Andy Priest, of New Castle, and Darin Gallagher, of Butler, sit atop the standings in the Bonnell’s Rod Shop 305 Sprints. Each have victories this season, and they will have to fend off a number of hungry racers to make sure that they stay on the top rung of the ladder.

In the Rock Concrete Supply Modified Lites, Kurt Eckstrom scored his first career win at Mercer and he will be looking to double up this week. On the other hand, Tyler Fulton is a repeat winner and former champion in the Mini Stocks presented by Ray’s Racing Collectibles and Eperthener’s Auto Wrecking. These fan favorite classes will present added excitement, for sure.

The gates will swing open at 4 p.m., so the racers can get ready and the fans can select their favorite seats. The hot laps and qualifications will begin at 5:45, with heat racing at 6:30.

The regular event ticket pricing plan will apply for this event. That means that an adult can see all of the action for just $13, a senior (age 60 and above) for $11, and a student (ages 9-15) for only $5. The younger set, children (eight and under) are free, as always. The Family Pass will be $28, and that will apply to two adults and up to four minors of any age. The Pit Pass will be $30.

If you cannot make it to the track this weekend, another Saturday Night Live! event will line up on May 20. That will also be Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night, which means that all member in good standing can attend the races for free! Then, May 27, the B.O.S.S. Sprint Series will back ’em in in the traditional, non-wing style. June 6, Tony Stewart’s Arctic Cat All Stars Circuit of Champions will roar into town to make up for last week’s weather outage.

Remember that you can get alerts regarding the cancellation of any racing event at Mercer Raceway Park sent directly to your smartphone or other electronic device. To register, please go to the track’s website, www.mercerracewaypark.com, click on the icon for RainedOut.com, and follow the easy steps.

Marketing partners of Mercer Raceway Park for 2107 include Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants, Scheidemantle Motors, Greenhill Farms Equipment, Inc., the Normandy Banquet Center of Hickory VFW Post 6166, Ritenour Equipment Center, Pizza Joe’s, AMSOIL, Noga Ambulance Service, Inc., Pyrotechnico, Watson’s, Inc., Big Dog Indoor Racing & Hobby, Herr’s Foods, the American Cancer Society, Sunburst Environmental, and Lias Tires.

About Mercer Raceway Park: Mercer Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile dirt track located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly from late March through late September. For more information, check out www.mercerracewaypark.com, www.twitter.com/mercerraceway, or www.facebook.com/mercerracewaypark.